Finnish Chamber Music

On this CD:

1. Trio for piano, violin & cello in A, Op 7
Composed by Toivo Kuula
Performed by Paavo Pohjola

2. Preludio for violin & piano
Composed by Aarre Merikanto
Performed by Paavo Pohjola

3. Opusculum, for violin solo
Composed by Usko Merilainen
Performed by Paavo Pohjola

4. Poem for violin & piano
Composed by Leif Segerstam
Performed by Paavo Pohjola

Finnish Chamber Music, Music, Toivo Kuula, Aarre Merikanto, Usko Merilainen, Leif Segerstam, Paavo Pohjola, Chamber, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Trio for Keyboard and Two String Instruments, Violin Solo, Violin with Keyboard
Silk Road Journeys: When Strangers Meet
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Not for the average listener
  • A thoroughly enjoyable trip through Central Asia and a few other places.
  • Silk Road Journey
  • A Detailed Review From A Non-expert Music Lover
  • Silk Road student
 Silk Road Journeys: When Strangers Meet
Yo-Yo Ma , and Silk Road Ensemble
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000641CG
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Tracks:

  1. Mongolian Traditional longsong
  2. Legend of Herlen (Byambasuren Sharav)
  3. "Blue Little Flower" (Chinese Traditional)
  4. "Mido Mountain" (Chinese Traditional)
  5. Moon over Guan Mountain (Zhao Jiping)
  6. "Miero vuotti uutta kuuta" from Five Finnish Folk Songs (Michio Mamiya)
  7. "Joiku" from Five Finnish Folk Songs (Michio Mamiya)
  8. Avaz-e Dashti (Persian Traditional)
  9. Habil-Sayagy (In Habil's Style) for cello and prepared piano (Franghiz Ali-Zadeh)
  10. Blue as the Turquoise Night of Neyshabur (Kayhan Kalhor)
  11. Chi passa per'sta strada (Filippo Azzaiolo)
  12. Desert Capriccio (Music from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon/Tan Dun) (Bonus Track)

Amazon.com

This disc introduces Yo-Yo Ma's latest and most ambitious adventure, the Silk Road Project. It explores the cultures that flourished along the Silk Road, the ancient trade route that for centuries connected Europe and the East. Founded by Ma in 1998, the project aims to create connections, mutual trust, and cultural interchange between people from different parts of the world through their only shared language: music.

This recording includes music from Mongolia, China, Persia, Japan, Iran, Azerbaijan, and an improvisation on an Italian Renaissance street song, performed by musicians from all those countries, as well as America, on both Eastern and Western instruments. Ma, who participates in every piece either as soloist or part of the ensemble, plays cello and a Mongolian "horse-head fiddle." There is also a Mongolian soprano, who sings a traditional song native to her region. For the uninitiated Western listener, the music requires some getting used to. Much of it is based on rhythmic ostinatos. The melodies use Oriental scales; the intonation is untempered; the music seems all color, texture, and atmosphere, without what might be called themes; and repetition takes the place of development. Contrast is achieved through sudden change, buildup by adding instruments. However, the music is often beautiful, delicate, dreamy, or peaceful; every listener will find his or her own favorite pieces. The playing is splendid, with much inventive improvisation. Inevitably, Ma's tone and personality stand out, but he never dominates in fact or spirit. The booklet offers essays by Ma and the project's musicologist, Theodore Levin, photographs of the players, and drawings of the Eastern instruments. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Not for the average listener.......2007-03-20

I was going to give it 2 stars, but then again i only listened to it once.
I was looking forward to this, but the music is plodding in many parts,
like a dreary symphony. There are fine moments, but I was looking for something a bit more accesible, rhymic, and lyrical. This is a mixed bag that seems to miss more often than hit.

5 out of 5 stars A thoroughly enjoyable trip through Central Asia and a few other places........2007-03-15

I have just added this to my musical library and am enjoying it. From the first beat of the first note of Khongozurl's long song you are transported to central Asia - the land of horses and gers. Of all the pieces I was most interested in listening to the second piece - Legend of Herlen. This to me, was the real silk road. The morin khuur has a very rich and unusual tone that made we want to listen to the it over and over again. Each piece is different and reminds one of the many parts that make up the whole of central asia's culture be it music or diesel trucks competing for road space with camels. The music captures the variety that makes up the region. The Finnish Folksong tracks are a nice touch. I have a friend who was at a trade conference and met a man from Mongolia. Neither could talk to one another until they discovered a common language - Finnish! My friend's family is Finnish and his new Mongolian friend had lived for several years in Finland where he learned enough of the language to communicate. Listening to the Finnish Folksongs reminds me of the Finnish-Mongolian connection that my friend had described. It is a nice touch and complements the other pieces very well. Please don't neglect to read the information insert as this gives a wealth of information on the music and it's origins as well as some of the difficulties experienced by western players playing traditional middle Asian musical instruments. Ma's difficulties with his instrument are particularly interesing to read. The concludig track - Desert Capriccio is a very nice ending to a very rich musical experince. The music from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the perfect ending to this trip through central Asia. I highly recommend this CD to everyone.

2 out of 5 stars Silk Road Journey.......2007-02-19

I saw a performance of the Silk Road Ensemble and was absolutely enthralled. So I bought the CD. But it was a big disappointment. It's not the type of music you can comfortably listen to in your living room - I'm sure it would be much more enjoyable in a concert hall. There was far too much that just sounded like "screeching" to me. However, some of the pieces that were much like what we heard at the performance were beautiful. So - a mixed review, but I disliked more than I liked.

3 out of 5 stars A Detailed Review From A Non-expert Music Lover.......2007-01-12

In this review I will give my opinion on each of the 12 selections in this CD, and will also talk about some general themes related to the title "The Silk Road Project".

To anyone who has heard of the Silk Road in Ancient China, the title of this CD immediately brings up images of exotic peoples and their cultures in your mind. I think Yo-Yo Ma's efforts in creating such a culturally diversified recording are definitely welcomed in this era of globalization.

But after listening through this CD I felt that something was missing from the selections. One of the most important areas on the Silk Road is the Uyghur region in northwestern China. Their music is quite unique. Inclusion of their music in this CD would be really interesting. Also in this CD not all of the selections are chosen from those regions directly related to the Silk Road. So I guess the title is just a metaphor of "when strangers meet", but is not directly about the cultures along the Silk Road.

Now I will review each of the selections.

1. Mongolian Traditional Long Song

I am somewhat familiar with their culture and land. So to me this song is very beautiful and enchanting. One of the most important factors in conducting any cross-cultural communications is context! You really cannot take it out of context. The Mongolian Long Song might sound monotonous and drawling to a person who is more used to the Western tradition of chant, choral, or opera music. Yet if you know the traditional nomadic lifestyle of the Mongolian people on the vast rolling greens of the Mongolian grassland embellished with winding creeks and rivers, you would probably hear such long-singing voices reverberating between the green of the grass and the blue of the sky. The Mongolian people have some of the most beautiful songs that I know of.

2. Legend of Herlen

There are probably two broad categories of non-western ethnic musics. One is the authentic folksong tradition of the people, the other is westernized works composed by westernized local musicians. I guess Legend of Herlen might fall into the second category. It has some interesting tunes in it. But the overall listening experience is too dramatic. I guess the dynamics used in this piece might even go beyond the ppp and fff. In the Mongolian traditional music, dynamics are sometimes used quite dramatically, with sharp difference between two adjacent notes or phrases. So this piece here is probably not very surprising. Nonetheless I find it a little too dramatic, sometimes even disturbing. Again I am not familiar with the background of this piece, so that might explain the unusual drama.

3. Blue Little Flower

I am not sure what fusion should really sound like. But in this piece it does seem to me that a lot of musical traditions are intertwined in it: western music, Chinese folksong from Shaanxi, and probably Iranian or Indian drums. Somehow the only part of this song that I liked is the beginning line. It's very beautiful and delicate, reminding me of the theme music from the Couching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. But it is westernized, not authentic Chinese folksong. If this is still not a problem, then the drum used in this piece does cause a lot of funny effects. The drum sounds so distinctive and it represents some of the central or western Asia cultures. The images such drum beats conjure up are very incompatible with this northwestern Chinese folksong. So in this piece there are at least three threads: western, Chinese, and Iranian/Indian (I am not sure which one). But they do not converge. There is also the funny part of the singing included in this piece. It is out of place and unnecessary. The singing itself is just too frivolous to me.

4. Mido Mountain

I like this piece, especially the part played by the Sheng. Again there are some elements that sound a little bit too foreign to me, especially the percussion part. They use the same percussion/drum in this piece as in the previous one. But the overall effect of the arrangement does sound authentic and pleasant to me.

5. Moon Over Guan Mountains

If you know that Zhao Jiping is famous for his scores for films, you will probably understand this piece better. But of course understanding does not mean you will like it. This piece falls into the second category that I described above. For a lot of non-Western countries, the influence of western music is definitely immense. Many local composers are trained in both the western tradition and the local tradition. But there is probably a general feeling among composers in these countries that western music is richer in theory and methods. Many of these composers will use themes from folk songs to compose westernized music. I will give this piece a B+. It does include some themes from northwestern China, which sound really unique. As I said in this CD there is no selection from the Uyghur region in China, this piece might make up for that, since some of the themes seem to me to be from that region. But this piece is still too dramatic too, like a film score.

6. Five Finnish Folksongs No. 3

I love this one! The theme melody is so beautiful, and maybe a little bit nostalgic, and maybe a little bit romantic also? But this piece is straightly western music. There is nothing ethnic about it.

7. Five Finnish Folksongs No.5

This one is ok, but not very impressive. The overall structure of this piece sounds like very loose. There is not memorable melody either. But it does not have the maddening drama like in the two pieces I have just talked about. This is good.

8. Avaz-e Dashti
I am not familiar with Persian music. But there are indeed some very Persian melodies in this piece. The instruments used in this piece are all traditional Persian instruments. Maybe this is why it sounds so authentic to me. I like the haunting, floating tunes in this piece. They sound very ethereal to me.

9. Habil-Sayagy

Again this piece falls into the second category like the Legend of Herlen and Moon Over Guan Mountains. Such music is probably interesting to the performers, since they can let loose their inner floodgate of emotions and resort to pure artistic connections. But the problem for such music is that they are just too dramatic, and it's really hard to understand them without fairly good knowledge of the context and their unique cultural backgrounds. I am sure all these three pieces might sound profound, meaningful, and artistic once we know the cultural backgrounds better. But for the general listener, they are too abstract and too emotionally charged. Another problem for such western-traditional combination pure art form of music is that tradition might be distorted and represented in the wrong way.

10. Blue as the Turquoise Night of Neyshabur

I like this one better that the previous one, especially the middle part beginning at around 5 min 30 sec into the music. The melody is quite unique, and memorable. The bassline is very interesting too. It conjures up the image of merchants traveling on camel back through the desert. The pulse of the bass sounds like the steps of camels walking. One the instruments used, I am not sure which one, santur or kemancheh, is quite successful in bringing out the authenticity of the music style.

11. Chi passa per'sta strada

This one has the same problem as the Blue Little Flower: it does not sound like anything! It is not Italian, nor is it Iranian, nor Chinese, nor anything else. What is it? Who knows. The ethnicity of world music is tied to their unique musical instruments closely. I remember there was one year the Chinese traditional orchestra had a New Year's Concert at Vienna, and when they played the Radetzky March at the end of the concert, I was quite unimpressed.

12. Desert Capriccio

Tan Dun is similar to the composers I mentioned above like Zhao Jiping. Tan's music is unique and interesting to both western and Chinese audience, because of the same thing: they are both unfamiliar with Tan's music. To the Chinese audience, his music sounds western, but to the Western audience, his music sounds exotic. Nonetheless I still like some of this music, like the Couching Tiger and Hidden Dragon. Some of the melodies are really great. Again this piece makes up for the lack of Uyghur music in this album, since the "desert" in this piece is in the Uyghur region. But the music is not Uyghur at all.

There you have it. That's all for my detailed review of this CD. I would give it a B+ for its efforts and some of the really good tunes. As I am not an expert, I might be wrong in many of the points that I make in this review. So feel free to comment on my review.

4 out of 5 stars Silk Road student.......2007-01-05

Each story is complete within itself and offers insight into the life and hard times. I found the stories very believeable.
Land of My Fathers: 100 Great Welsh Choir Favourites
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Land of My Fathers: 100 Great Welsh Choir Favourites

    Manufacturer: Castle Pulse
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B0009SOFXG
    Release Date: 2005-08-01

    Tracks:

    1. Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer (CWM Rhondda) - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
    2. Land of My Fathers - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
    3. Dies Irae
    4. Men of Harlech
    5. You'll Never Walk Alone
    6. Cadwyn O Emyn Donau Cymreig: Joanna (Trad./Elfion Wyn)/Crugybar (Trad.
    7. Old Folks at Home
    8. Il Liza Jane
    9. Faust/Soldier's Chorus - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
    10. Vergine Degli Angeli
    11. Ballard of Rourke's Drift - Cwt-Y-Collen Choir
    12. My Hero
    13. God Bless the Prince of Wales - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
    14. German Mass/Gloria
    15. German Mass/Sanctus
    16. Misbles/Master of the House/On My Own/Drink with Me/Empty Chairs at
    17. All Through the Night - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
    18. Arwelfa
    19. Invictus
    20. Softly as I Leave You

    Tracks:

    1. Diolch l'R L
    2. Hine E Hine (Maori Lullaby)
    3. Pererin Wyf (Amazing Grace)
    4. Tribute to the USA: America the Beautiful (Ward/Bates)/God Bless ...
    5. Memories of Martha
    6. I Lombardi/The Crusaders' Chorus - Treorchy Male Choir
    7. Myfanwy - Treorchy Male Choir
    8. Tales of Hoffman/Barcarolle
    9. Creation's Hymn
    10. In the Spirit!
    11. Shall We Gather at the River
    12. Nos a Bore
    13. Very Best Time of Year
    14. Soon Ah Will Be Done
    15. Thanks Be to God
    16. Flower That Shattered the Stone
    17. Rhys - Treorchy Male Choir
    18. Where Shall I Be?
    19. Bywyd y Bugail
    20. Lord's Prayer

    Tracks:

    1. Ave Maria
    2. Pearl Fishers/Divine Brahma
    3. She Was Beautiful (Cavatina) - Treorchy Male Choir
    4. Cymru Fach
    5. Nidaros
    6. Jacob's Ladder - Treorchy Male Choir
    7. Watching the Wheat
    8. Pan Ddaw y Saint (When the Saints Go Marching In)
    9. Misbles/Stars
    10. Rachie
    11. Pirates of Penzance/With Cat-Like Tread - Treorchy Male Choir
    12. There Is a Balm in Gilead
    13. Rise Up Shepherd and Foller
    14. My Lord, What a Mornin'
    15. Bryn Myrddin
    16. Jesus Christ Superstar/Medley: Jesus Christ Superstar/Hosanna/The Last
    17. Finnish Forest (Suomen Salossa)
    18. Nabucco/The Glory of Israel
    19. Ride the Chariot
    20. Tydi a Roddaist - Treorchy Male Choir

    Tracks:

    1. Y Nefoedd
    2. Phantom of the Opera/Think of Me
    3. Morte Christe (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross)
    4. By Babylon's Wave
    5. I'm Gonna Sing
    6. Where Could I Go But to the Lord?
    7. Holy City - Treorchy Male Choir
    8. Mefistofele: Ave Signor, Degli Angeli
    9. Senzenina (Zulu Chant)
    10. That's All I Want from You
    11. Deep Harmony - Treorchy Male Choir
    12. Give Me Jesus
    13. Just a Closer Walk with Thee
    14. My Wish for You
    15. Jeptha/Waft Her Angels
    16. Mose in Egitto/Prayer
    17. Be Still My Soul (Finlandia Hymn)
    18. God's Choir in the Sky
    19. Floral Dance - Treorchy Male Choir
    20. Smilin' Through

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    1. Calon Lan
    2. True Love
    3. Mor Fawr Wyt Ti (How Great Thou Art)
    4. Aberystwyth
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    6. Cats/Memory
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    19. Christus Redemptor
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    Album Details

    Choirs Include the Morriston Orpheus Choir, the Pontadrddulais Male Voice Choir, the Caerphilly Male Voice Choir, the Cwrt-y-gollen Choir, the Treorchy Male Choir and the Lucknow Male Voice Choir.
    Magnus Lindberg: Clarinet Concerto; Gran Duo; Chorale
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Two pieces here are okay, but Lindberg's getting a little too mellow
    • Fine Music, Astonishing Performance
    • Amazing Genius, Mind Blowing Virtuosity
    		 Magnus Lindberg: Clarinet Concerto; Gran Duo; Chorale
    Composer: Magnus Lindberg , Performer: Kari Karikku , Conductor: Sakari Oramo , and Performer: Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
    Manufacturer: Ondine
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
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    ASIN: B000ARHNHG
    Release Date: 2005-10-18

    Tracks:

    1. Clarinet Concerto
    2. Gran Duo
    3. Chorale

    Customer Reviews:

    3 out of 5 stars Two pieces here are okay, but Lindberg's getting a little too mellow.......2006-06-15

    This Ondine disc contains three recent works by great Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg. performed by the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sakari Oramo. Listening to this disc, one can tell that Lindberg's style has slightly changed, and I have mixed emotions about the material here.

    The "Clarinet Concerto" (2002) was written for clarinetist Kari Kriiku, a friend of the composer since their school days and a player in many important Lindberg premiers through the last two decades. While only a single movement, the concerto is clearly divided into various sections, signalled by the recapitulation of a seven-note figure. The orchestra very much takes a backseat to the soloist, for the concerto was written with an obsession with the virtuoso features of the clarinet, and Kriiku does everything possible with the instrument. Since so much of the concerto is played by the slightest orchestra forces and single clarinet, it has a very restrained soundworld, and often the clarinet gives slow, wistful tones. It is for very this reason that I find the concerto does not stack up to what Lindberg has done elsewhere. What I've found best about Magnus Lindberg's music are the incredibly frenetic nature and thick textures of such pieces of "Kinetics", "Engine", and "Cantigas". Anssi Karttunen once said that a room in which Lindberg wrote was covered with vitamin bottles, empty energy drink cans, and cigar stubs, while others have talked of how Lindberg rarely slept during festivals. Perhaps I come from a generation with too short an attention span, but I really enjoy music that's often fast and packed with detail, so Lindberg's has unusually been highly entertaining.

    The same problem of slow tempo is held by the latter two works on the disc, but they are rather more satisfying. "Gran Duo" for thirteen wind and eleven brass instruments (2000), in spite of its lack of strings, has a very full and continous sound through the skillful combination of myriad small details. The progression of the form is similar to "Cantigas", but with notably different timbres, which makes this piece interesting as a contrast to the earlier one. "Chorale" (2001-2002), though at six minutes the shortest piece here, is the most striking. Based on the Bach chorale "Es ist genug", known to many fans of modern-classical music from Berg's use of it in his violin concerto, it sounds as if it contains two layers. One is the banal tonality of something from the classical era, while the second, just underneath, is a rich expansion of the chorale and its transformation into something new on Lindberg's terms. The disc at least ends on a very pleasurable note.

    I wouldn't want to say that Lindberg is finished. The "Concerto for Orchestra" of 2003 and "Ottoni" for brass ensemble premiered last year are very exciting works that show he is still capable of great music. And if anything, the material here is innocent enough to win him a new set of fans who are used to traditional repertoire, witness the CD's winning numerous awards from such conservative bastions as BBC Music Magazine, the New York Times, and Gramophone. This set, however, will probably let down anyone used to more substantial writings; the "Clarinet Concerto" is frankly dull. Try anything at all of earlier discs with his music, they are sure to satisfy.

    5 out of 5 stars Fine Music, Astonishing Performance.......2006-04-15

    The highlight of this CD is Lindberg's wonderful Clarinet Concerto (2002), but the other selections are worthwhile too. The Gran Duo (2000) was written for the same forces as Stravinsky's Symphonies of Wind Instruments, although its enormous vitality, expressed in ceaseless contrapuntal swirls of sound, sets it apart from the much cooler aesthetic of Stravinsky's sound world. The Chorale (2001-02) is based on Bach's setting of "Es ist genug" from Cantata 20 -- the same chorale Berg quotes in his Violin Concerto.

    Still, it's mainly for Kari Kriikku's phenomenal performance of the Clarinet Concerto that most people will return to this recording. Kriikku has worked closely with the composer on a number of pieces, and this must surely be their finest joint effort. It is both great music and a breathtaking opportunity for technical display. Kriikku is asked to do all manner of things, including extremely high notes, multiphonics, growls and glissandos, and the vanishingly quiet tones that only the clarinet can produce. The orchestral fabric supports him with a variety of gestures that approach the virtuosity of the solo part; I am particularly fond of the bird-like twitters and passaggi that keep the music aloft for minutes at a stretch.

    Uniting the disparate thematic material of the Concerto -- the notes speak of "eight core characters [as] in a play" -- is a gentle but ultimately soaring theme that may be an homage to Debussy (think of the midpoint of the Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un Faune rather than the Clarinet Rhapsody however).

    This is the best new-music disc I have heard so far in 2006. Beautifully recorded and balanced. One's enjoyment only deepens with repeated listening.

    5 out of 5 stars Amazing Genius, Mind Blowing Virtuosity.......2005-10-25

    I am blown away by this recording. Kari Kriikku has proven in this album that he is the epitome of the modern day virtuoso. His interpretation of Lindberg's Concerto (which was written for him) is fresh and vibrant. I was especially blown away when Krikku hit a high concert b-flat an octave above the five ledger line b-flat above the staff! It sounds like a violin harmonic! Lindberg's concerto is exceptional, and full of lush colors. I would recommend this CD to everyone, I think anyone would enjoy it.
    Elgar & Dvorák: Cello Concertos; Bartók: Rhapsody No. 1
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Elgar & Dvorák: Cello Concertos; Bartók: Rhapsody No. 1

      Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      GeneralGeneral | Bartók, Béla | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      All Works by ElgarAll Works by Elgar | Elgar, Sir Edward | ( E ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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      CelloCello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
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      ASIN: B00005QHUE
      Release Date: 2006-05-29

      Tracks:

      1. Cello Concerto In E Minor, Op.85: Adagio - Moderato
      2. Cello Concerto In E Minor, Op.85: Lent - Allegro Molto
      3. Cello Concerto In E Minor, Op.85: Adagio
      4. Cello Concerto In E Minor, Op.85: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
      5. Cello Concerto In B Minor, Op.104: Allegro
      6. Cello Concerto In B Minor, Op.104: Adagio Ma Non Troppo
      7. Cello Concerto In B Minor, Op.104: Finale: Allegro Moderato
      8. Rhapsody No.1 For Cello And Orchestra: Lassu
      9. Rhapsody No.1 For Cello And Orchestra: Friss
      Finnish Orchestral Favorites
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		Finnish Orchestral Favorites

        Manufacturer: Naxos
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        Järnefelt, ArmasJärnefelt, Armas | ( J ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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        1. Swedish Orchestral Favourites
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        3. Scandinavian String Music
        4. Norwegian Violin Favourites
        5. Swedish Romantic Violin Concertos - Berwald, Aulin, et al

        ASIN: B00005AYEP
        Release Date: 2001-05-15

        Tracks:

        1. Finlandia, Op.26
        2. Elegy
        3. Romance
        4. Valse Lente
        5. Valse Triste, Op.44/1
        6. Wedding Waltz Of Akseli & Elina
        7. Prld in G flat, Op.7
        8. Fiddlers, Op.1: The Narbo Villagers In Fine Fettle
        9. Fiddlers, Op.1: Mr. Jonas Kopsi
        10. Fiddlers, Op.1: Bell-ringer Samuel Dikstrom
        11. Fiddlers, Op.1: Devil's Schottische
        12. Fiddlers, Op.1: Jumps
        13. Wedding March, Op.3 No.2
        14. Sleeping Beauty, Op.22: Festive March
        15. Sunrise Ser, Op.63 - Finnish CO/Okko Kamu
        16. Prld
        17. Berceuse - Maarit Kirvessalo
        18. Sea Pictures: Nocturne - Song Of The Watch
        19. Finnish Prayer - Reino Kotaviita
        Delius: Piano Concerto; Ravel: Jeux d'eau; Debussy: Clair de lune
        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
        • A great Russian pianist of former times.
        • This series continues and adds a real rarity
        		 Delius: Piano Concerto; Ravel: Jeux d'eau; Debussy: Clair de lune

        Manufacturer: Naxos
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

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        Similar Items:
        1. Moiseiwitsch Plays Rachmaninov, Medtner, Kabalevsky, Khachaturian
        2. Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
        3. Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
        4. Great Pianists: Moiseiwitsch 2
        5. Moiseiwitsch: Grieg Piano Concerto

        ASIN: B00007DWLO
        Release Date: 2003-01-21

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars A great Russian pianist of former times........2003-07-02

        Unlike Artur Schnabel, who scorned the giving of encores at his recitals, Benno Moiseiwitsch was very generous in providing delectable extras at the end of his recitals. I can remember such recitals, the delight that Moiseiwitsch took in sharing favorite miniatures with his audience and, in particular, Moiseiwitsh as soloist in the best performance I have ever heard of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto.

        This concerto is not heard here, but there is a sympathetic and lyrical performance of the rarely heard Delius Piano Concerto. The rest of the program comprises a cosmopolitan and interesting collection of smaller recital pieces, recorded between 1925 and 1950. Listen to the slightly abridged performance of Godowsky's "Die Fledermaus" concert paraphrase and you'll think you are listening to several pianists and several pianolas at work. I especially like the cultured, controlled performance of Debussy's "Clair de lune". Audio quality, sometimes of demonstration quality at the time the recordings were first issued, is top class in this Ward Marston restoration. Sometimes more surface noise is heard than in other reissues of these items, but that makes me feel (and believe) that I am hearing a full reproduction of the original recording. This is the sixth Moiseiwitsch CD in a Naxos "Great Pianists" series, a series I can heartily recommend.

        5 out of 5 stars This series continues and adds a real rarity.......2003-02-25

        This is the sixth of the Moisewitsch reissues on Naxos. It contains mostly short pieces often played by him as encores. This release contains a couple of high points, for me. The Ravel 'Jeux d'eaux,' while not one of my favorite pieces, is played to a fare-the-well here by Moisewitsch.

        By far the most interesting thing here is the Delius Piano Concerto with Constant Lambert conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra, recorded in 1946. First of all, the Delius is a rarity in itself. Second, Moisewitsch, who championed this concerto throughout his career, plays it lovingly and makes as much as can be made of this admittedly somewhat loosely constructed piece. And if you're a Delius fan - and you know who you are - you must have this performance.

        The sound, as one has come to expect in the historical releases series from Naxos, is quite good, thanks to the meticulous engineering of Ward Marston.
        Northern Lights: Music of Contemplation for a New Age
        Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
        • je ne sais quoi
        • Great CD
        • Northern Lights
        • "It makes me think of tubular bells by Mike Oldfield"
        		 Northern Lights: Music of Contemplation for a New Age

        Manufacturer: Finlandia
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        Klami, UunoKlami, Uuno | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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        4. The Iraq Study Group Report: The Way Forward - A New Approach
        5. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

        ASIN: B000005IFQ
        Release Date: 1995-11-14

        Tracks:

        1. Northbound - Jukka Linkola
        2. Maja - Urma Sisask
        3. Trivium (Excerpt) - Rene Eespere
        4. Oremus - Urma Sisask
        5. The Forest - Jukka Linkola
        6. Song Of The Watch - Uuno Klami
        7. Song Without Words - Lauri Saikkola
        8. Piece From The Year 1981 - Lepo Sumera
        9. Dominus Vobiscum - Urmas Sisask
        10. Insula Deserta (Excerpt) - Erkki-Sven Tuur
        11. The Ancient Kannel (Excerpt) - Ester Magi
        12. Adagio Religioso (Excerpt From Music For String Orchestra) - Joonas Kokkonen
        13. Gerda And Kai - Jukka Linkola
        14. Fantasy For Piano And Orchestra (Excerpt) - Olli Mustonen
        15. Cantabile (Excerpt) - Peteris Vasks
        16. Pater Noster - Urmas Sisask
        17. Trivium (Excerpt) - Rene Eepere

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars je ne sais quoi.......2005-07-02

        The music on this CD is hauntingly beautiful and much of it fills me with strange and wistful longings--a sort of "happy sadness," perhaps correspondent to the German concept of Sehnsucht.

        4 out of 5 stars Great CD.......2002-01-10

        There was only one song on this CD that I did not enjoy. All the rest were great.

        3 out of 5 stars Northern Lights.......2000-06-28

        Better than most "New Age" offerings, thanks to the overall choices and imagery the music conjures up. Northbound is first cut and gives actual feel of travelling very fast over snow and ice. Sounds like a well-crafted soundtrack. Well worth buying when you need a beautiful, lilting symphonic head-journey-or when you just need/want to hear musicians other than U.S./British-born artists.

        Some of the cuts are quite moving, some sturm und drang, and others reminiscent of the best of classical artists. One friend told me he could almost hear the ice crackling underfoot in one track, and another said he thought of the time he saw flights of geese southbound for the winter.

        2 out of 5 stars "It makes me think of tubular bells by Mike Oldfield".......1999-02-13

        "Music composed by Sisask is classical but added with a touch of symphonical rock. It was the feast of recognising when I listend to compositions like the forest. I only hope that Sisask does not go to far into the forest of early rock and roll"
        Busoni: Complete Works for Cello and Piano
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          		Busoni: Complete Works for Cello and Piano

          Manufacturer: Naxos
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

          All Works by J.S. BachAll Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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          Similar Items:
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          4. Rebecca Clarke: Midsummer Moon, Passacaglia, Rhapsody etc.
          5. Dohnanyi: Sonata for cello in Bfm; Konzertstück in D

          ASIN: B0001Z65E4
          Release Date: 2004-05-18

          Tracks:

          1. Adagio Con Variazioni
          2. Chromatic Fantasia
          3. Fugue
          4. Moderato Ma Energico
          5. Andantino, Con Grazia
          6. (Altes Tanzliedchen) Massig, Doch Frisch
          7. Sostenuto Ed Espressivo
          8. Moderato Ma Con Brio
          9. Serenata, Op.34
          10. Kultaselle: Ten Variations On A Finnish Folk Song (King.237)
          11. Valse Oubliee (Transcription From Franz Liszt)
          Kaija Saariaho: Château de l'âme / Graal Théâtre / Amers
          Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
          • Two superb works along with one marking the end of her finest era
          • Music of shapeshifting beauty
          • How rich the Nordic realm!
          • A must have modern
          • Beautiful music from Kaija Saariaho
          		 Kaija Saariaho: Château de l'âme / Graal Théâtre / Amers
          Esa-Pekka Salonen , Gidon Kremer , and Dawn Upshaw
          Manufacturer: Sony
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

          GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
          ViolinViolin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
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          Similar Items:
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          5. Kaija Saariaho: From the Grammar of Dreams

          ASIN: B00005NNNX
          Release Date: 2001-08-28

          Tracks:

          1. Graal Theatre: Delicato
          2. Graal Theatre: Impetuoso
          3. Chateau De L'Ame: La Liane
          4. Chateau De L'Ame: A La Terre
          5. Chateau De L'Ame: La Liane
          6. Chateau De L'Ame: Pour Repousser L'Esprit
          7. Chateau De L'Ame: Les Formules
          8. Amers: Libero, Dolce, Misterioso
          9. Amers: Sempre Molto Energico, Ma Espresivo

          Amazon.com

          Kaija Saariaho was born in Helsinki in 1952, one of numerous notable musicians to have come out of Finland recently, a distinction she shares with Salonen, one of her earliest and most steadfast supporters. She studied in Finland, Germany, and Paris, where she became acquainted with the composers of "spectral" music, who focus on music as sound and examine its constituent elements in microscopic detail. This influenced her own writing, which she describes as "more timbral than melodic, more focused on color than line."

          Indeed, the two instrumental works on this disc seem created entirely from sound effects and color effects. Graal Theatre is a substantial violin concerto that exploits all imaginable, and many unimaginable, resources of the instrument and demands superhuman tonal and technical acrobatics of the soloist. Kremer, of course, clears all these hurdles with ease and aplomb; the beauty of his tone comes through at every opportunity. These are almost nonexistent in the cello concerto, Amers, in which the soloist is reduced to running, scratching, and squeaking. The five-song set Chateau de L'ame is the most accessible: sung beautifully, it is mainly lyrical, atmospheric, languid, and mournful, with big leaps in the vocal line and much lighter orchestration than in the concertos. The composer confirms that "vocal music written to strong texts seems more emotional," because the words enhance the music and because "the human voice touches us differently than any other instrument." It would have been helpful to know what the songs are about, but unfortunately, the booklet carries no texts, though it includes a long interview with the composer in three languages. --Edith Eisler

          Customer Reviews:

          4 out of 5 stars Two superb works along with one marking the end of her finest era.......2005-12-10

          Here we have 3 pieces by contemporary Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho performed by each work's dedicatee--Gidon Kremer, Dawn Upshaw, and Anssi Karttunen--and three excellent ensembles--the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Finnish Radio Chamber Choir & Symphony Orchestra, and the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra--all conducted by long-time associate Esa-Pekka Salonen. I've been unhappy with Saariaho's recent work, where she has seemingly abandoned electronics and concentrated increasingly on melody, but the music of the early 90s, with its focus on gorgeous timbre and frequent use of electronic possibilities, is a standout of contemporary music. Two works here show Saariaho at her best, but one is the harbinger of her lesser music of today.

          All things considered, "Amers" for cello, orchestra, and electronics (1993) is for me Saariaho's masterpiece. With its prominent cello part written for Anssi Karttunen, the two-movement piece can be considered a cello concerto, but the relationship between soloist and orchestra that Saariaho aims for here is richer than any other concerto I've ever heard. While the orchestra bangs out gentle and ghostly ocean-like rhythms ("amers" is a French word for "navigation buoy"), the cello plays "as a sailor charting a course through a sea of sounds". The piece makes use of a special microphone specially developed by IRCAM that is capable of isolating each of the cello's four strings and amplifying or electronically altering each separately, which expands the cello's sound to new levels: furious bowing across the bridge gives bell-like chimes, a sound produced by pizzicato elastically reverbs. Over the course of the work, electronic alterations pull the cello "off-course"; in the first movement, only minor interference occurs, while in the powerful second movement the sound of the cello is violently shaken about. Karttunen and Avanti! give a moving performance that alone serves to make this a highly recommended disc.

          I should mention that if you like "Amers" you should check out Saariaho's related "Pres" for solo cello, whose material is mainly taken from the solo part of "Amers" with some additions of even greater beauty, allowing one to concentrate on this particular element of the concerto separate from the orchestral elements.

          "Graal Theatre" for violin and orchestra (1994) more closely approaches the concerto tradition than "Amers", but has its own twist: during the first movement instead of a dialogue between soloist and orchestra, the orchestra emulates the material displayed by the soloist. Saariaho puts it that the soloist "leaves tracks" that the ensemble follows. Only in the second movement, "Impetuoso", do we find confrontation. Gidon Kremer performs superbly here as always, and I was impressed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra. It is a pity that this performance, recorded in 1996, sat around for five years before being released. A version for chamber orchestra was later written that is featured on a recent Ondine disc and is worth hearing, although I find this original version for full orchestra works better due to its greater percussion.

          "Chateau de L'ame" for solo soprano, 8 female voices and orchestra (1996) marks the end of Saariaho's overall concern with otherworldly timbre and the beginning of her disappointing turn to overt melody. The text of these five songs come from Vedic love poems and magical writings from Ancient Egypt. In spite of the divine voice of Dawn Upshaw, I find this music bland. One only has to look at "Lonh" for soprano and electronics of the same year, also written for Upshaw (and wonderfully performed by her on an Ondine disc) to see how limited this new music is. With the certain exception of "Sept Papillions" for solo cello and the cautious exception of her first opera "L'amour de loin", most of what I've heard from Saariaho recently is of considerably lesser quality than what she wrote before.

          In spite of the weak "Chateau", however, the two earlier works on this disc are of great elegance and beauty. If you've never heard Saariaho's music before, I'd recommend first trying the discs "Du crystal ...a la fumee/Nymphea/Sept Papillions" or "Private Gardens", both on Ondine. Still, this disc is worth hearing once you've fallen in love with her writing.

          5 out of 5 stars Music of shapeshifting beauty.......2002-11-26

          The music of Kaija Saariaho was almost too much for me to absorb at once, when I first listened to this disc. This isn't because it's busy or overblown, although there's plenty of detail and sumptuous orchestral beauty to her music. Rather, on the first piece in particular, it's almost as if different moods are overlayed, translucent and continuously shifting from foreground to background,with severe modernist abstraction (which I love, by the way) and lush neo-romanticism bleeding over into one another. Saariaho makes "Graal Theatre"'s continuous transformations work much more subtly than that grasping description makes it sound. The piece has an almost ritualistic quality to it, with the decisively rigorous violin moving with fluid angularity amongst a variegated landscape of orchestral color and occasional tension. "Chateau De L'Ame" is the most accesible piece, with Dawn Upshaw's lovely soprano supported by understated orchestrations that, while beautiful, carry an uncanny tinge. "Amers" closes out the disc with the most obscure music here, with incredible explorations of timbre within a bright sound haze. According to the liner notes, it has more in common with Saariaho's earlier work than the other pieces. After managing to let myself sink into this hauntingly beautiful music, I certainly plan on exploring more of what is available from this amazing composer.

          5 out of 5 stars How rich the Nordic realm!.......2002-09-21

          Kaija Saariaho is well known to Los Angeles audiences as her fellow countryman and music spiritual partner Esa-Pekka Salonen has provided many performances of this gifted composer's output in the Los Angeles Philharmonic's seasons. It is well to hear these two collaborate on this recording as there is a special affinity obviously present. Saariaho's music is an acquired taste. Not that it is unapproachable on first hearing: she is after all an impressionist of wondrous colors and a titan of orchestration. The acquired taste in this instance is like a reference to drug addicition. Once the listener relaxes with the relative lack of meter and just bathes in the luxury of her created sound, the works beg for encores. Though all three works on this disc are very fine, for me the pinnacle is the song cycle 'Chateau de l'ame' which benefits from the impeccably beautiful art of soprano Dawn Upshaw. This is a song cycle that should stand with Ravel's "Sheherazade" and Berlioz' "Nuits d'ete". Finland remains a rich resource for some of the best music and musicians before us today. Highly recommended.

          5 out of 5 stars A must have modern.......2002-06-14

          This is a VERY GOOD disc of modern music.

          It has is similarities with Salonens own "LA variations" Salonens is in my opinion better) but this is, even if you compare with Salonen a very good disc. Gideon Kremer plays on this and he is fantastic even if I THINK his violin is a BIT too "loud" over orchestra but mayby Saariaho like it that way?

          Salonen conducts modern music very good -as usual- and sound is excellent, music is stunning and Cello player Karttunen plays with bravura and Dawn Upshaw singing with grace.

          Otherwise this booklet give us, what I think, some kvasi-intellectual nonsence about Saariahos works (Sony "forget" give us more vital info instead about this importent composer). If you could stand that Sony treat modern importent works like this in what I think is a bad manner and listen too this music instead this IS importent modern music and a must have.

          Of course this is highly recommended disc but dont forget Salonens "LA Variations"

          5 out of 5 stars Beautiful music from Kaija Saariaho.......2002-03-19

          Kaija Saariaho has one of the most colorful and expressive orchestral palates out there today. These pieces are amoung her best, especially the final piece Amers. The performances are, I assume, definative. A very important release by one of the most important composers out there.
          Busoni: Little Suite for cello & piano Op23; Borodin: Sonata for cello in Bm
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            		Busoni: Little Suite for cello & piano Op23; Borodin: Sonata for cello in Bm

            Manufacturer: Koch Int'l Classics
            ProductGroup: Music
            Binding: Audio CD

            All Works by BorodinAll Works by Borodin | Borodin, Alexander | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
            All Works by BusoniAll Works by Busoni | Busoni, Ferruccio | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
            SymphoniesSymphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music | Baroque | Classical | General | Modern & 20th Century | Romantic | Sinfonia | Sinfonia Concertante
            General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
            CelloCello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
            GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
            ASIN: B00000AFTZ
            Release Date: 1998-09-15

            Tracks:

            1. Sonata For Cello And Piano: Allegro
            2. Sonata For Cello And Piano: Pastorale: Andante dolce
            3. Sonata For Cello And Piano: Maestoso
            4. Kleine Suite For Cello And Piano, Opus 23: Moderato ma energico
            5. Kleine Suite For Cello And Piano, Opus 23: Andantio, con grazia
            6. Kleine Suite For Cello And Piano, Opus 23: Altes Tanzliedchen: Massig, doch frisch
            7. Kleine Suite For Cello And Piano, Opus 23: Sostenuto ed espressivo
            8. Moderato ma con brio
            9. Kulaselle: Moderato sostenuto

            Music Review:

            1. Glory Of The Angels
            2. Grand Tango [Hybrid SACD] [SACD]
            3. Gregorian Chant For Easter
            4. Grieg Collection
            5. Hans Fagius Plays French Organ Music
            6. Hans Paisson; Laszlo Simon; Eva Knardahl
            7. I Virtuosi Italiani
            8. Ioannis Kourkouzelis-The Byzantine Maestro
            9. Journeys: Orchestral Works by American Women
            10. Klavierquintett

            Music Review

            music review

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